Probably the most popular and famous of Seattle’s tourist attractions, the Pike Public Market is something you are likely going to plan a visit to if you are going to be in the Emerald City. And many who do visit want to see at least two things – the fish throwers and the “original” Starbucks location.

But what if you are preparing to board a cruise and therefore have limited time to enjoy the market? You could waste an hour or more just waiting in line at Starbucks. And while the fish chuckers are fun, do you really want to spend most of your time fighting a huge crowd to get up close for a photo?

CruiseCritic members, among them several Seattle locals, offer some off-the-beaten path Pike Market tips, like:

• The best places to eat breakfast while watching the florists set up shop for the day.
• The less traveled passageways “Down Under”.
• Unique specialty food shops that you shouldn’t miss.

Not to mention, the “preferred” way to dispose of those flowers you bought to brighten up your cabin before docking at a location that won’t appreciate your illegal transporting of flora.